Improbable Choices — Shirley Davies-Owens

In 1940's London, amid the mayhem of War, Eleanor Kingsley reels from the heartbreak of the loss of her husband and frets over the daunting prospect of single-handedly rearing her daughter and niece. How will they survive in a world gone mad? How will they ever again enjoy happiness and peace.

A glimmer of hope ignites with their evacuation to a rural village, where they not only befriend Matt Dalman, an American lieutenant, but are billeted at Grentham Hall, a grand country estate. Here, hardships vanish and luxuries abound for Eleanor and the girls, when charming Hugh Beresford, his wife and teen-aged daughter draw them into the heart of their family. But it proves to be a tainted heart pulsing with hidden and dangerous agendas which ultimately bring tragic consequences.